FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Secondary
Science Teacher Education Program Handbook (pdf)
Important links - Please
review
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IMPORTANT CHANGES: NEW SPECIAL ED REQUIREMENT Graduate students who began their program in the Summer or Fall of 2011 or later must take ECPSE 550 Undergraduate students that started their SEYS sequence (SEYS 201W or SEYS 221) courses in the Fall of 2011 or later must take ECSPE 350. All other students do not have to take this course for certification. If you want to check if you need this requirement, please speak to any of the SEYS secretaries. ------------------------------------------------------------- Candidates graduating in May 2013 or after should wait for the new tests to be available before beginning testing. Click here for more information. |
Want to speak with a Science Education adviser? If I am online, I will be be glad to answer your questions. Type your name and your question in the chat box below.
Queens College Science Education Programs
- Click here for information on the Undergraduate science education program
- Click here for information on the Post-Baccalaureate Advanced Initial Certificate Program
- Click here for information on the Masters
Program in Science Education
Applying to a Science
Education Program
General questions about the
Queens College Science Education Program
- What are the admission requirements?
- I've been admitted but can't take classes right away? Can I defer my classes until later? Yes, you can. If you wait too long to take a class, you will need to go to the Admissions Office and fill out a reactivation form before you will be able to register.
- How much does it cost? Check out this link for costs per credit
- Where can I find the schedule of classes?
- What are the Program Codes for the different secondary science certification areas? Click here to see Program Codes
- Where can I get a Graduate Bulletin or Undergraduate Bulletin? Visit the following link: http://www.qc.cuny.edu/college_bulletins/
- When is the deadline to apply for Spring semester? November 30th is the deadline. You should find out about your acceptance before the summer semester so you might also be able to take a few courses in the Summer semester if you are accepted.
- When is the deadline to
apply for Fall semester? The application
deadline for Fall semester is May 1st.
- Can I take courses towards certification as a non-matric student? If you have applied after December, the answer is NO. Unfortunately it is too late to accept non-matric students at this time. However, if you do apply now and are accepted for the Fall, you can begin to take courses during the summer. You might opt to take science courses to fulfill your content requirements (30 credits) or take 500 level science courses that will count towards their MS once you enter the program. The Advanced Certificate can be completed next Spring, which is when you would have completed the program if you had started next semester. The deadline to apply is May 1st.
- Who are the Science
advisers and what is their role? The science
advisers help science education students take appropriate
science courses. They also evaluate transfer credits
of science courses. Listed below are the science
advisers:
- Biology
- Dr. Pokay Ma
Science Bldg E106
Telephone 718-997-3412 - Masters adviser: Dr. Daniel Weinstein
- Chemistry
- Dr. Wilma Saffran
Remsen 120D
Telephone 718 997-4195
Dr. Arthur Baker - Graduate
Remsen 117
Telephone 718 997-4219 - Masters adviser: Dr. Gopal Subramaniam
- School of Earth and
Environmental Sciences
- Masters adviser: Dr. Gregory O’Mullan
- GLOBE
Dr. Allan Ludman
Science Building E206
Telephone 718 997-3324 - Physics
- Dr. Vinod Menon
Science Building B220
Telephone 718 997-3147
-
Masters adviser: Dr. Lev Deych
- Students are encouraged to apply for a program to take courses in SEYS. In certain cases students can take courses as a non-matric student. For example, if you have been admitted to the Fall post-bac Advanced Certificate program or the MSEd programs, you can take courses in the summer as a non-matric student. You would need to complete the following form, get a signature from Dr. Murfin and submit the form.
- First of all you need to come to campus get your ID. Information on Student ID's can be found here.
- You can also ask about parking at the *Security Office
*Jefferson Hall room 201 Phone: 718-997-4443
*Office Hours: *Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m - 5:00 p.m .
- Parking and traffic regulations
- How
to apply for parking
- You need to bring your registration and a check to pay for
your parking permit.
- Once you have your ID you need to apply for a Queens
College CAMS
account (this account gives you access to email, etc). http://www.qc.cuny.edu/oss/
https://cams.qc.cuny.edu/ - Your next step is to apply for a CUNY portal account. http://www.qc.cuny.edu/registrar/ https://portal.cuny.edu/portal/site/cuny/index.jsp?epi-content=LOGIN This allows you to access CUNY wide resources such as the library, BlackBoard, etc. If you have any problems with your computer accounts, contact the OTC (Office of Converging Technologies) helpdesk.
- In order to register for the first semester, you need to come to the SEYS department in person. After your first semester, you can register on your own, online.
Important links - Please
review
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- Click here for information on fieldwork and student teaching
- Click here for
information on the Initial Clinical Experience
- Click here for the OLD practicum handbook
- In the FALL
of 2010, a NEW practicum replaced the old one. The
course number and number of credits is the same and there
is a new name, the Initial Clinical Experience
(ICE). You will need to visit the SEYS department in
person to register for ICE and at that time you will
choose your site school. The NEW practicum requires
100 hours at the site school, and you will be at the
school four times per week for 2 1/2 hours per day.
- Where can I get a copy of the advising form for the undergraduate Science Education program?
- Concentration
form
for
the
undergraduate
program (pdf
version)
- Advising form for the undergraduate program (pdf version)
- Click here for a video screencast that provides an overview of the undergraduate science education program. (Please note: this is a Flash file)
- If you cannot view the file above, you can click on the individual Flash files below:
- Overview of the undergraduate science education program Part 1
- Overview of the undergraduate science education program Part 1
- If
you cannot view Flash files, you can click here to
download a very large .avi file.
- How many science credits do I need to student teach? We recommend that you have at least 30 credits in your area of certification before you student teach
- Candidates graduating in May 2013 or after should wait for the new tests to be available before beginning testing. Click here for more information.
- Old
certification exams and new certification exams compared
- How can I find out more about teacher certification? Check out the New York State Teacher Certification web site
- When should I take the LAST or
Academic Literacy
Skills Test (new exam) examination? Anytime during the Junior year is fine. - When should I take the CST or Revised Content Specialty Test in the Area of the Certificate (new exam) examination? at the beginning of your Senior year. Frameworks for the tests:
- Here is the schedule for the NYS Teacher Certification exams
- How can I prepare for the certification exams? Check out the preparation guides.
- When should I take the ATS-W or
Teacher Performance Assessment (Portfolio) and the
Educating All Students Test (new exams)? You
should have taken at least the first three education
courses, including Educational Psychology. In the Fall
and Spring of 2014, students will prepare their portfolios
(edTPA) during all of their education courses and during ICE
and student teaching.
- Where can I find out more about student teaching in secondary science? Visit the Secondary Science Student Teaching help page
- Undergraduate student teaching clearance form (pdf version)
- How are student teachers
evaluated? This
is
the
form
your
college supervisor will use when observing you teach a
lesson (pdf
version)
- Can I use eSims to register for SEYS 372.4 and SEYS 382 ? No, these both must be done while student teaching and you must come in to the SEYS department to register.
- Where can I get a copy of the Masters Programs in Science Education advising forms?
- Masters in Science Education concentration form (html)
- Masters in Science Education concentration form (pdf)
- Masters in Science Education advising form (html)
- Masters in Science Education advising form (pdf)
- Masters
in Science Education Science Course Information (html)
(This information only applies to MSED students who
began their programs Spring 2013 and later)
- Masters in Science Education - Science Course Information (pdf) (This information only applies to MSED students who began their programs Spring 2013 and later.)
- Current admitted Masters students only:
- Please submit the appropriate online form where in order
to submit your plan for the courses you want to take for
your Masters. Pick the form that has your initial
area of science certification. Go through and supply
as much information as you can and submit the form.
After submitting, make sure to save the "Edit this link"URL. You can copy the link and email it to yourself. This will allow you to go back and make changes to the form. By completing this form and submitting your plan it will be easier to make sure that you are on track and meeting the program requirements.Masters Bio 7-12Masters Chem 7-12Masters Earth ScienceMasters Physics 7-12
- Do I need the GRE exam to apply to the Master's programs in Science Education? No, the GRE is not needed
- How many credits are needed in the science area of intended certification for admission to the Master's Program in Science Education? You need a minimum of 21 credits in the area you want to be certified and you should have a 3.0 average in that area of science. New York State required 30 credits of science in the area of certification.
- Post-Baccalaureate
Advanced Initial Certificate Program
- Concentration
form
for
the
Post-Baccalaureate
program (pdf
version)
- Advising
form
for
the
Post-Baccaureate
Advanced
Initial Certificate program (pdf
version)
- How long does it take to
complete the Post-Baccalaureate Advanced Certificate
Program? In this program you need to take 24
credits of education courses in addition to meeting all
other requirements. This assumes that you are coming
into the program with at least 21 credits of science courses
in the science area you wish to become certified. It
usually takes approximately three or four semesters to
complete this program depending on how many courses you take
per semester and whether you take courses in the Summer.
If you start in the summer, you can take SEYS 536 and
SEYS 700, then SEYS 562 and SEYS 552 in the Fall and you
will be able to finish in three semester if you have your 30
credits of science in your area of certification, pass the
certification exams and meet all other requirements.
- What is the deadline for applications for the graduate program? November 1st for the Spring semester and May 1st for the Fall semester.
- Is it possible for me to
take graduate science classes at another college or
university during the summer since there are no science
classes I can take at Queens College?
Students must obtain prior approval to take courses
off campus from the science dept. under which the
course would reside (Check the list of Science Advisors
above). The forms can be e-permits (I believe).
Hard copies are available from the Grad. Registrar's
office. The signed off approval must be returned to
the Registrar so the course shows up on the student's
transcript when mailed to Queens after course completion.
- How are student teachers
evaluated? This
is
the
form
your
college supervisor will use when observing you teach a
lesson (pdf
version)
- Where do I get
information on New York State's teacher certification
requirements? Answer: http://eservices.nysed.gov
/teach/certhelp/CertRequiremen tHelp.do - What counts as a science
content course towards New York State certification? The
following information is from the New York State Department
of Education web site: Note: The information
below is from the New York State Department of Education web
site located at
http://eservices.nysed.gov/teach/certhelp/CertRequirementHelp.do
Biology 7-12
Requirement Description
"Content core" refers to coursework that instructs candidates in the specific subject matter of the certificate title sought (e.g., Mathematics, Biology, Spanish, etc.). It is the equivalent of a major in that subject area. Course content, rather than the name of the department through which a course is offered, determines the acceptability of a course to fulfill these requirements. Courses in the methods of teaching a subject are not acceptable as study in the content area.
Note: content core courses must be passed with a "C" or above at the undergraduate level or "B-" or above at the graduate level.
Acceptable studies include courses in scientific methods, cell biology, biochemistry, anatomy and physiology, comparative anatomy, genetics and evolution, biological diversity, human biology, and human ecology. Courses in nutrition are acceptable only if they are in cell nutrition.
Chemistry 7-12
Requirement Description
"Content core" refers to coursework that instructs candidates in the specific subject matter of the certificate title sought (e.g., Mathematics, Biology, Spanish, etc.). It is the equivalent of a major in that subject area. Course content, rather than the name of the department through which a course is offered, determines the acceptability of a course to fulfill these requirements. Courses in the methods of teaching a subject are not acceptable as study in the content area.
Note: content core courses must be passed with a "C" or above at the undergraduate level or "B-" or above at the graduate level.
Acceptable studies include courses in scientific methods; matter and atomic structure; energy, chemical bonds and molecular structure; chemical reactions; and quantitative relationships. Courses in geochemistry are generally applied science courses and, therefore, are not acceptable.
Earth Science 7-12
Requirement Description
"Content core" refers to coursework that instructs candidates in the specific subject matter of the certificate title sought (e.g., Mathematics, Biology, Spanish, etc.). It is the equivalent of a major in that subject area. Course content, rather than the name of the department through which a course is offered, determines the acceptability of a course to fulfill these requirements. Courses in the methods of teaching a subject are not acceptable as study in the content area.
Note: content core courses must be passed with a "C" or above at the undergraduate level or "B-" or above at the graduate level.
Acceptable studies include courses in scientific methods, space systems, atmospheric systems, geological systems, and water systems. Courses in environmental science, conservation and wildlife management, and agriculture are generally applied science courses and, therefore, are not acceptable.
Physics 7-12
Requirement Description
"Content core" refers to coursework that instructs candidates in the specific subject matter of the certificate title sought (e.g., Mathematics, Biology, Spanish, etc.). It is the equivalent of a major in that subject area. Course content, rather than the name of the department through which a course is offered, determines the acceptability of a course to fulfill these requirements. Courses in the methods of teaching a subject are not acceptable as study in the content area.
Note: content core courses must be passed with a "C" or above at the undergraduate level or "B-" or above at the graduate level.
Acceptable studies include courses in scientific methods, mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, waves, sound, light, and quantum theory and the atom. Courses in engineering and geophysics are generally applied science courses and, therefore, are not acceptable. Astronomy courses are acceptable only if the primary focus is on the mathematics of gravitational attraction between astral bodies. You can also ask a Science or Science Education advisor on whether a specific science course meets the NYS content core requirement.
- QCTeams is a web based system that is being used to collect data for the Division of Education. This data does not affect student grades but it is very important. The data are used to improve courses, teaching and field experiences. Another important use of the data is that it is required for the Division of Education to be accredited by NCATE.
- Where do I login for QCTeams?
- Instructors and faculty can access QCTeams here: http://tinyurl.com/qcteams
- Students can access QCTeams here: http://tinyurl.com/sqcteams
- Click here to see all of the QCTeams forms for SEYS
- Click here to see all of the QCTeams forms for SEYS by course (For Science Education students and faculty)
- Click here to see instructions for the QCTeams form required for student teachers